#MiguelLouw: Family pleads for suspect to be placed in protective custody

Ebrahim Sheik, the father of Mohammed Ebrahim who was charged with the kidnapping of Miguel Louw supported Miguel's family during previous court appearances. The family said on Thursday that Mohammed Ebrahim was safer behind bars. Picture: Se-Anne Koopman.

Durban - The family of the man charged with the kidnapping of Durban schoolboy, Miguel Louw, whose body was found in a shallow grave in Phoenix last week, are calling on police to place him in protective custody as people were "out to kill him".

Reacting to the news on Thursday that DNA taken from the body found not far from their home on Longbury Drive belonged to Miguel, Ebrahim's family said there were many questions that remained unanswered.

Colonel Thembeka Mbele, a KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson, has confirmed that Mohammed Ebrahim will now face a murder a murder charge.

"People are looking at us in a bad way without knowing the full story. People should stop being judgemental. Mohammed has a lot to say but he needs to be placed under a witness protection programme," a relative who did not want to be named told the Daily News.

Ebrahim's family said that since nine-year-old Miguel disappeared in July they had been terrorised by people searching for him and they had
also received death threats.

Another close relative of Ebrahim, who also refused to be named, said that if Ebrahim committed the crime he should do the time.

Ebrahim was granted bail of R2 500 in the Durban Magistrate's Court in connection with the kidnapping charge laid against him but remains behind bars. His family said they did not pay his bail as he was "safer behind bars".

"There are many questions that remain unanswered. We did not pay his bail because we thought he would be safer inside. Mohammed had become part of the Louw family. They knew him better than us," a relative said.

"Several people wanted to bail him out. He refused to leave prison because he is afraid. The police forensics did a thorough check of our home," the relative added.

Ebrahim's father, Ebrahim Sheik,77, said he planned to meet with the lawyer representing his son on Thursday.